


a simple trade

by Trashy_Cannot



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, also idk why i like this ship so much, i guess??? this was more of just a thought exercize of trying to get into a couple character's heads, i think it slaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:40:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24708484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trashy_Cannot/pseuds/Trashy_Cannot
Summary: Anita "Bangalore" Williams walks into a bar different from her usual routine to try and get away from everything. Instead, she finds Loba Andrade.
Relationships: Loba Andrade/Bangalore | Anita Williams
Comments: 8
Kudos: 54





	a simple trade

**Author's Note:**

> Yes this was entirely self-indulgent and I thought of this one night right before I went to sleep and wrote half of it, inadvertently making me sleep a little later than usual. Lobalore rights babey.
> 
> My first fanfiction in Apex Legends? It's honestly been a while since I've sat down and properly written any fanfiction (I was v v tired after finishing a fic for another fandom) and I wrote this mostly because I love the tension that these characters have and if there's anything I love, it's one-on-one interactions between characters that have tension but haven't had the chance to address it in-canon yet. Also I'm gay and think that this is a big brain ship because I said so. Anyway, enjoy!

Worn-out boots created a steady rhythm against the thread-bare floor. Anita Williams - better known as the Apex Legend "Bangalore" - took in her surroundings. She wasn't one to mingle with low-lives, but she wanted a more secluded break from her celebrity-status life.

Besides, a well-paid, but quaint home still somehow invites the paparazzi to take pictures. Elliot would love it. Bangalore doesn't. 

Granted, a bar-front for a black market wasn't the break she had in mind, but she knew that the paparazzi wouldn't expect her here.

Bangalore took a seat at the bar, not daring to take off her sunglasses and make every punk in here realize she was a big shot. 

"Well." a familiar voice murmured. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Bangalore could hear the smug smile in those words. Looking up from the counter, she saw Loba leaning against the counter opposite of her, resting her chin in her hands and smirking.

She was dressed in a plain white suit, of all things. Yet, her maddeningly bright eye-shadow remained smeared across her eyes.

"For fucks-"

"Aw, beautiful, we don't need to cause a scene. You're cute, but I don't want people thinking I'm...involved." the criminal remarked.

Bangalore rolled her eyes, whispering, "I'm just surprised you run a bar like Mirage does."

"Please, you're giving him too much credit. I run a business. One that the law can't reach."

Bangalore's fists clenched then relaxed. She wasn't here to serve any orders, the war was done. All she was here for was a drink.

But the cocked brow of the woman in front of her was making that hard to accept.

"Come now, do you have any drink you'd want? Or should I just kick you out now?" Loba asked.

"The strongest thing you have. Two shots of it." Bangalore spat, pushing her sunglasses up.

"Of course, beautiful." 

Dammit. There was always an air of confidence in her words, a result of her good connections to escape the law, no doubt. It was maddening. She destroyed part of King's Canyon, and all she had to do was wink and smile and she was let in? 

Bangalore remembers sacrificing blood, sweat, and tears to join the games. It wasn't easy with the constant reminder that Jackie wasn't there by her side. 

People like Loba and Revenant had no right to be here. Bangalore wasn't the closest to everyone in the games, but even as they sent bullets into each other's skulls, they were more like a family to Bangalore than anyone else since Jackie's disappearance. They earned that right. These two - and whatever issues they had with each other - didn’t.

A dull impact connected the shot glasses to the countertop. Loba's smirk remained. Rolling her eyes, Bangalore downed both shots at the same time. 

God damn. Those were strong.

"What the hell is in this?" Bangalore asked.

"Bits and pieces from all over the Outlands. A recipe I made myself after I...acquired some resources."

"So you stole some stuff, chucked it together, and gave it to your customers."

A genuine smile graced Loba's lips - not one meant to lure someone into security, and certainly not one that was mocking. It was...amused? Bangalore couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

"Sure, general."

"Still a sergeant."

"Hm. Of course."

A beat of silence passed. Bangalore didn't ask for more drinks, and Loba had no one else to attend to.

"So...a suit?" Bangalore murmured, her speech barely influenced by the shots.

Pouring herself some of the liquor, Loba responded, "Can a lady not wear suits as well?"

"N-No. I do it myself when I go to interviews."

"I noticed. It's always the same one, though. You just change the tie." 

That familiar smirk took over the genuine smile, and Bangalore's respite from frustration ended. Loba really knew her way around people. And she knew how to press buttons.

"I didn't come here to get my fashion sense mocked." Bangalore groaned, sliding a shot glass around.

"Then what did you come here for?"

"A break."

Loba chuckled. "Right. Well, come to the back with me, we're finding you a new suit."

"Don't be-"

"What else do you have to do today? Listen to Revenant’s threats to gut you or the other Legends? Listen to Mirage's jokes?"

"You make a good point." Bangalore laughed out. It was probably because of the booze.

* * *

“I’m not putting that on.” the ex-soldier spat.

Loba’s brow raised, her expression unimpressed. “If you put it on, the shots you ordered’ll be on the house.”

“We’re on the same payroll, I know it can’t cost-”

“Fifty-thousand. Per shot.” Loba interrupted.

Bangalore rocked herself on her boot’s heels, uncrossing her arms.

“You’re fucking with me.”

“Do you really think I’d be holding this over your head just for you to wear a new suit?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Bangalore sighed out, looking into Loba’s eyes.

How the hell did her pupils look gold? And what was that expression-

Shaking off the thought, Anita took the hanger from Loba’s hand and headed towards the closet. She considered herself an individual with a great amount of dignity, but she really wasn’t expecting it to get dashed so quickly by a criminal and two shots of liquor.

When she finished putting it on and took a glance at the mirror, Anita couldn’t help but laugh at herself. The suit - sleek and jet black in its design - was somehow refreshing. Simple geometric patterns seemed to be holographically projected onto the fabric and shifted on occasion, with some of the shapes reacting to the light. The gold cufflinks and pocket square didn’t look half-bad either.

“Are you going to finish changing in there or…” Loba trailed from the outside, a barely-hidden edge of impatience in her words.

Anita remembered where she was and nodded to herself, pulling open the closet door and was greeted by the scrutinizing eyes of Loba Andrade herself.

“Hm.” the criminal remarked.

“Hm? What does that mean?” 

Anita stood still for a few moments as Loba continued her scrutinizing, flattening out wrinkles and adjusting the holographic details on the suit. She was definitely not one to shy away from contact. Professionally, of course. Granted, this was technically an illegal setting, so it was far from professional but-

“Hm means that you look good. I knew black and gold suited you well.” 

“Thanks...I guess.” Anita mumbled.

In what felt like out of thin air, Loba brought a white topcoat to her company, placing it on top of Anita’s shoulders. Somehow, there was a faint shimmer of gold on the fur that adorned its collar.

“Wolf’s fur, Bloodhound told me it was ethically-sourced but it was expensive as hell.”

“Don’t tell me-”

“Two-hundred thousand.”

Anita felt like she shrank in the coat, and that it started to weigh a lot more than it did two seconds ago. She did not want to handle anything worth more than her Apex payroll unless it was a machine for the IMC. Even then she was uncomfortable with the amount of money in her hands - or in this case - on her shoulders.

“Relax, beautiful.” Loba said. “Consider your debt paid.”

Anita’s shoulders slacked a little, only to freeze once more when she found Loba adjusting the coat. Her mind was running a mile a minute until she noticed something.

“Wait.”

“Yes?” Loba responded absent-mindedly.

“Is this really how short you are?” Anita snorted. She swore it was the booze making her act like an ass.

“Yes. Yes it is.”

“No wonder you’re always bragging about your six-inch heels. You can barely reach my neck with-”

Anita cut herself off before she said anything stupid. She cleared her throat and forced herself to relax while Loba finished adjusting everything.

Looking at the mirror once more, she felt like a different woman. Maybe Loba was right, it was time to get a new suit. Especially since there would be an interview-

“I love it when I’m right.” Loba murmured, looking at Bangalore through the mirror.

“Somehow, yes, you are.”

A condescending smirk faded into one Anita was starting to grow fond of. Loba’s eyes had a sense of vulnerability and genuine joy at seeing her in this suit. 

“Keep it.”

“What?” Anita turned to face the woman.

“I said keep it. You’ll need it for that interview, and I’ll take pride in knowing I finally made Anita Williams dress well. You should treat yourself more, I’d like to see you in clothing that flatters you.”

Anita felt stone-cold sober at that point. Chuckling out, she started to change back into her the clothes that she walked in here with. They felt a little less familiar to her - she could honestly get used to dressing nicer.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep your sunglasses. I have an outfit that fits these perfectly.” 

“...Sure.”

The rest of their goodbyes were awkward at best. Their previous tensions seemed foolish to re-instate now that they both took pause and shared this candid time together. There was a side to Loba that Bangalore was intrigued by, one that she only saw glimpses of tonight.

* * *

Sure enough, Bangalore saw her sunglasses on Loba’s face broadcasted during an interview about her entrance to the Apex games. A part of Bangalore was still irked by her ease of getting in and the charm she entranced people with, but she still chuckled when Loba lowered her glasses and winked at the camera, stating that the accessory was from a one-night stand.

**Author's Note:**

> I legit forgot how to properly make these notes and not make it sound like the ramblings of a madwoman. Anyway, Lobalore rights, amirite?
> 
> Details:  
> -Bangalore uses the IRL names of the other Legends 'cause they're basically her family at this point. So yes, her saying "Elliot" instead of "Mirage" was intentional.  
> -I decided to make Loba's out-of-game black market (which is canon btw) have a bar as it's front because 1) that idea slaps and 2) i couldn't really think of anything else, and besides, would it have had the same vibes if it was like,,,a car dealership?  
> -Let Bangalore say fuck! I mean she says "FNG" in-game, and almost said it during the launch cinematic trailer so,,,just saying,,,  
> -Bloodhound and Loba have matching fursonas no you cannot change my mind. (and they're both wolf ones so)  
> -Oh here's something I can elaborate on: Bangalore feels uncomfortable with incredibly expensive things 'cause (in my hc) she was raised not to be a very materialistic person. I mean, can you really be an effective IMC soldier if you're worried about an expensive shirt?  
> -Also peep me changing from Bangalore to Anita when the two start to be more relaxed around each other  
> -Also yes, the only way I'm justifying 6-inch pumps is that Loba wants to feel tall. She's 5'11" with them on, and 5'5" without. (Bang is 6')  
> -And yeah, of course Loba was gonna make a joke about being a one-night stand and she probably knew Bang was watching. She's a flirty person.
> 
> I think that was everything? I think. Anyway, Kudos, comments, and shares are always wonderful to have, but I can't ever force y'all to do it so...see y'all around if I do end up making another one-shot.


End file.
